Analysis

The following elements may be especially relevant to cover in your analysis of Boris Johnson’s speech at the COP 26 Launch.

The rhetorical situation is that the speaker is Boris Johnson and the audience is the public present at the Science Museum when Johnson is giving his speech, as well as other participants of the COP26 summit and the larger British and international public. 

The speech has a circular structure as Johnson links the beginning and end of the speech through the story of Walter Bersey and the electric taxi. 

The linguistic features of the speech include both the style of language and the rhetorical devices used throughout the speech. The language of the speech mixes informal and formal elements and includes figurative language and humor. The rhetorical devices include metaphors and direct addresses to the audience which help make the speech more engaging.

Johnson uses all three modes of persuasion. Johnson appeals to logos and pathos to make his message more impactful and to help achieve his intention of persuading the audience. He also builds ethos by making himself appear knowledgeable on the topic of climate change.

You can read much more about each of these points on the following pages.